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Mogadishu - Somalia's government is calling for a neutral
force in the disputed port city of Kismayo, accusing Kenyan troops there of
backing one militia against others.

Somalia's information ministry said late on Sunday the
country wants a "more neutral force" in the city that is home to a
contingent of militiamen and where five clan leaders have all declared
themselves president.

The statement is the strongest yet from a government whose
officials have sometimes accused Kenya of taking sides in Kismayo, charges
Kenya denies.

Kenya seeks a friendly buffer zone near its border with
Somalia, one of the main reasons it sent troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabaab
in late 2011.

For weeks militias have been fighting for control of Kismayo
in clashes that have killed an unknown number of people.

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